The present invention is directed to a storage container for an information-recording disc such as a laser disc, or the like. Certain aspects of this invention are more generally applicable to containers for storing compact discs, as well.
Currently, laser discs are conventionally stored in l.p.-type jackets, the disc being slipped into a cardboard sleeve. Such a sleeve offers very little in the way of protection to the laser disc and requires the type of handling that almost necessitates getting fingerprints on the face of the recording disc. This type of container is undesirable. The non-contact stylus of the laser disc player virtually ensures unlimited life of undiminished quality so long as the disc itself is not damaged through the wear and tear of handling and storage. Accordingly, a high durability container case that protects the laser disc is desired.
Several attempts have been made to develop a suitable impact-resistant container that will adequately protect the laser disc for storage and transport. One such type of storage container shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,076,119 and 4,084,690 issued to Clarke and Pulse, respectively, requires the laser disc to be reconfigured with a pair of arcuate openings near the center to receive projecting portions of the container. These openings appear to unnecessarily weaken the structure of the disc without any corresponding benefit in handling (i.e., the risk of fingerprinting the disc remains undiminished).
A second style of container taught by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,771,883 and 4,778,047 issued to Herr et al. and Lay, respectively, seem to be merely modest revisions to the l.p.-type jacket with significant sliding motion between the laser disc and the protective sleeve of the storage container being necessary, a movement which has the greatest potential for damaging the face of the disc.
A more recently developed storage container is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,085 issued to Grobecker et al. The Grobecker et al. patent describes a number of embodiments, each of which has a support platform that engages only the central portion of the disc which is free of information and offers some sort of retention means on the post. While non-engagement of the information tracks is theoretically to be desired, the failure of the container to support any outer peripheral portion of the disc subjects the disc to the possibility of warpage. Further, the central post retainers lack any type of release mechanism, being generally similar to the c.d. style retaining fingers. This type of retention means is difficult enough to cope with in engagement with the smaller compact disc requiring flexing of the disc to effect disengagement and poses an even greater threat to the larger diameter, more flexible laser disc. FIG. 24 of the Grobecker et al. patent discloses an embodiment which may not suffer from this difficult-to-remove problem. Two segmental fingers from a post projecting from the top and two fingers projecting from the bottom both engage in the central apperture of the disc. While it is unlikely that removal would pose a problem with this embodiment, retention may. The laser disc is as likely to be retained by the top post as the bottom (particularly if the case is held vertically and opened in clamshell fashion) and may well simply disengage from both posts upon opening of the case and simply slide from the container onto the floor.
It is among the purposes of the present invention to overcome the deficiencies of the present lase disc storage techniques by providing an impact-resistant storage container with a releasable retention mechanism. This manually operable push button device will permit the retention fingers to be cammed inwardly releasing its hold on the disc. Further, since this release mechanism is readily operable by a person's thumb, the hand of the operator will be naturally positioned to engage the disc on the inner and outer peripheral edges of the disc. This will minimize unnecessary smudging of the disc during handling. The top and bottom halves of the container are interconnected along one edge by a living hinge. Interengaging retention fingers protrude from the top and bottom portions adjacent other edges of the case and serve to latch the two halves of the container in a closed position.
The container of the present invention includes a pedestal that engages only a central portion of the disc but also provides a plurality of peripheral supports for the edge of the disc. These peripheral supports preferably engage only the outermost edge where no information is stored so that the information-containing portion of the disc extends between the pedestal and the peripheral edge support in a substantially unsupported (and, therefore, fully protected) condition. A plurality of radially extending ridges serve to reinforce the lateral side faces of the case against deflection. Yet, should the lateral faces of the case be flexed in such a manner as to contact the disc, the ridges, which resemble pillow-like elements, will cause no marring or other damage to the disc.
A second embodiment with only a slightly larger profile, provides a container to safely store multiple disc (for extended length movies). A second wider double living hinge which interconnects the top and bottom portions of the container also provides a plurality of integral hinge pivots for hinge posts attached to a separate support platform for an additional information-recording disc. The top and bottom portions of this multiple disc embodiment are virtually identical to those of the single disc embodiment. Further, the second insertable platform is essentially identical to the support platform formed by the bottom portion having a pedestal, a retention post which is received in the central opening of the second disc, and a manually operable release means on said retention post. The hinge posts snap readily into place in the hinge pivots of the double hinge for adding the second disc storage capacity to the container.
Various other features, advantages and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent after a reading of the following detailed description thereof.